Calm Before the Storm
by KepnerAvery
Summary: "He's prepared for screaming. For getting cursed out. For crying and pleading and begging for it to stop. He's not prepared for her to be completely calm." Jackson tries to keep his cool as April goes into labor. Japril oneshot


**A/N: Hello! This has been sitting in my drafts unfinished for a very long time, so I figured I would take the chance to finish it today in honor of Father's Day. **

He's prepared for screaming. For getting cursed out. For crying and pleading and begging for it to stop.

He's not prepared for her to be completely calm.

The morning of her due date he wakes up to a kiss on the cheek and a quiet excited whisper in his ear.

_Today's the day._

She's standing next to their bed, dressed in sweats and smiling nervously as he blinks up at her and tries to wrap his head around what she's trying to tell him.

"April..."

"I know," April cuts in before he can finish his thought, "due dates are completely arbitrary and shouldn't be taken literally, because babies never arrive on their due dates, but I think our baby has inherited my timeliness, because," She inhales sharply, digging the heels of her hands into her lower back, "Ow."

And then he's jumping out of bed, wrapping his arms protectively around her while she rides out the contraction with a shaky sigh. It lasts about a minute, then he feels her relax in his arms and pull away to look up at him.

"They're about," she glances at her watch, "Four and a half minutes apart now. So I was thinking we might want to head to the hospital soon. Do you want me to toast you a bagel while you get ready?"

She's looking up at him so earnestly that he doesn't know what to say. Two minutes ago he was sleeping, and now… He shakes his head, frowning.

"Four and a half minutes, April we need to get to the hospital _now_. Why didn't you wake me up? Let me just get dressed, and then-"

"Jackson," she puts a hand on his chest, stopping him from rushing past her to his dresser, "We have time. When I woke up at one o'clock this morning my contractions were eight minutes apart, and that was six hours ago. _We have time_. I'm going to go toast you a bagel."

Before he can protest she rocks up on her toes and plants a kiss to his lips, then turns and goes off to the kitchen, leaving him standing in shock.

He dresses like a zombie, still unable to wrap his head around it. He has a million questions- why hadn't she woken him up? How is she so calm when they're hours away from bringing a tiny human into the world? When did they buy bagels?- and somehow as he tries to work out the answers he manages to pull on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Still on autopilot he stuffs his wallet in his pocket, then picks up his phone and frowns. He's got a text message from his mom timestamped at 3 AM.

_Flight's about to take off, should be there around 9. Richard is going to pick me up at the airport. See you soon baby! XOXO -Mom_

"Did you call my mom?" Jackson asks as he stumbles out of the bedroom a moment later. April doesn't answer, and as he turns the corner into the kitchen he can see that she's got a white knuckled grip on the countertop.

"Sorry," she squeaks out, "Give me a minute."

He hurries to her side, rubbing her back with one hand as she grabs the other in her own, squeezing tight until the contraction passes.

"You okay?"

She nods, releasing his hand and turning to face him, "I'm fine. And yes, I called your mother when the contractions started so she'd have plenty of time to get here. I think she's getting in around-"

"Nine, yeah." He finishes as she wanders off to get the butter out of the refrigerator, oblivious to the hurt look on his face, "April, why didn't you wake me up?"

April sighs, but doesn't look up from where she's started to butter his bagel, "It wasn't a big deal. I woke up, timed a couple of contractions, called _my _mother, called _your_ mother, and went back to sleep."

"You still should have woken me up."

"So you could have panicked and kept us both up all night?" She finally turns back to him, handing him his bagel on a napkin. He sets it on the counter, distracted.

"I wouldn't have..." Jackson trails off, finally managing a smile as she raises her eyebrows, "Okay, maybe I would have, but can you blame me? We're having a baby today."

"Which is exactly why we needed the sleep."

"April-"

"I know you're nervous," April interrupts, taking his hands in her own, "but we're ready for this. We've been planning this day for months. We went to the birthing classes and the parenting classes, we painted the nursery and set up the crib-"

"I'm pretty sure _I _painted the nursery and set up the crib."

"Okay, fine _you _painted the nursery and set up the crib, but _I _packed the hospital bags, and called our parents, and have been tracking my contractions, and now the last step is getting to the hospital. That's the easy part."

He laughs, leaning down to kiss her before pulling her tightly to him. She rests her head against his chest, bending at a sort of odd angle to accommodate for her enormous belly.

"I think you're forgetting what happens once we get to the hospital."

"I'm choosing to ignore that for now," she grumbles, swatting playfully at his arm. He smirks, stroking her hair as she settles in against his chest with a contented sigh. For a few moments he forgets his own anxiety, letting himself get lost in the feeling of holding her in his arms. Then, too soon, she lets out an involuntary whimper and balls his shirt tightly in her fists. His hands move to her lower back, kneading the tense muscles until April pulls out of his arms, frowning.

"That was only…" she checks her watch, "three minutes and forty five seconds. We should get going."

He feels like his heart is going to stop. April is slipping on her shoes, mouthing words to herself as she goes over some mental checklist, and before he knows what he's doing he's putting on his shoes too, grabbing the hospital bags, helping April into her coat because she's struggling. Then they're out the door and in the car and he's backing out of the driveway by the time she cries out again, doubling over in her seat.

"April," he starts, trying to stay calm because she's already fighting back tears, "That wasn't-"

"I know. _Drive_."

* * *

By the time they get to the hospital her contractions are only three minutes apart, and with each one she withdraws deep into herself, going into an almost trance like state. His heart is hammering against his chest, his hands sweaty on the steering wheel, and yet she is totally composed. When he runs inside for a wheelchair she almost stops him, insisting that she's fine, but then another contraction washes over her like a wave of pain, and he manages to get her to sit down. Just as he's wheeling her into the lobby her grip on the arms of the chair releases and she sighs, looking worriedly at the sky.

"Does it look like it's going to rain to you?"

He can't help but chuckle at that, because yes there are rain clouds starting to gather in the sky, but the weather is the least of his worries right now. But when he doesn't answer right away April cranes her neck to look back at him and he forces a reassuring smile onto his face,

"No, I'm sure it'll clear up soon," he says, pushing her towards the elevators, "Let's get you checked in upstairs, then I'll look up the forecast and-"

"April! Jackson!"

Arizona's voice stops him dead in his tracks as she and Callie hurry to catch up with them, and suddenly they're grinning and April is grinning and he still feels like he's going to throw up if he doesn't get her up to Labor and Delivery _now_ because there is no way his daughter is going to be born in the hospital lobby.

"So, today's the day?" Callie asks, as if April in the wheelchair and the diaper bag slung across his shoulder aren't telling enough.

"Today's the day!" April replies happily, rubbing a hand over her swollen stomach.

"Aww, yay!" Arizona chimes in, "I can't wait to finally meet little miss baby girl Avery and actually learn her name!"

"I told you, it's bad luck to tell people the baby's name before it's born..."

"You really believe that?"

"I mean, I know it sounds silly-"

"Very silly."

"Alright!" Callie cuts in finally, "We have a staff meeting to get to. So good luck, Avery stop looking like you're going to pass out when she hasn't even started pushing yet, and we'll see the _three _of you later!"

Then before April can protest she drags Arizona off in the opposite direction, and Jackson lets out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding in. His legs are starting to feel weak, but he ignores April's concerned look as he wheels her onto a mercifully waiting elevator.

"Jackson?" she turns as much as she can in the seat and he reaches down, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He hopes she doesn't notice the slight quiver of his hand.

"Yeah babe?"

"Calm down."

He's lucky that at that moment she gets distracted by the elevator doors opening on their floor, because there's no way she'd believe his lie that he is calm, really, his hands are just shaking because he needs his coffee. He grabs the opportunity to push her straight to the nurses' station, where they're met with a warm smile from a nurse whose name tag identifies her as "Mary".

"Well hello there, are we here to have a baby today?"

It takes everything in his power not to snap back that no, they're just here for the tour, and April must sense his discomfort because she speaks up,

"Yes, Dr. Marshall is my OB, I called her on the way over. My contractions are-"

April stops, grabs her stomach, lets out a low hiss of pain, and Mary looks to Jackson expectantly.

"Uh, her contractions are about three minutes apart, and they last about a minute each."

Mary nods calmly, apparently waiting for April's contraction to pass, and even though rationally Jackson knows it's much more painful for April than it is for him the moment seems excruciating. He doesn't bother trying to hide his relief when she relaxes into the chair and Mary starts speaking again,

"Alright, so Brianna," she waves her hand and another nurse hurries over, "is going to get you settled in a room, and I'm going to keep your husband here just for a minute to fill out some paperwork. Sound good?"

It doesn't sound good to him. The thought that he doesn't want to leave her side even for a second flashes through his mind, but Brianna is already stepping into his place, making small talk with April as she wheels her down the hallway and Mary shoves a pile of paperwork at him. He fills the forms out in record speed, his already unclear handwriting becoming completely illegible, and when he's done he practically sprints to April's room. She's lying on her side, curled in on herself as another contraction passes.

"Hey," he breathes, taking a seat next to the bed and prying one of her hands off of the bed rail to hold it in his own, "Sorry about that. Stupid forms, I could have filled them out in here."

"It's fine, you didn't miss anything, I didn't have the baby without you."

She laughs at her own joke, her eyes still shut so she can't see the hurt expression on his face.

"How are you so calm about this?" He asks finally. Her eyes flutter open at that, and she squeezes his hand.

"Jackson, I'm ready for this. I've been miserable these past few weeks, and yes I'm in a lot of pain right now, but we're having a baby today. A _baby_. _Our _baby."

He has to chuckle at that, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing."

"It is."

"This just feels like… like the calm before the storm."

"Oh," April gasps, "The storm! You said you'd check the forecast."

"Right," he reaches into his pocket for his phone, but at that moment Dr. Marshall enters the room with the same calm smile that everyone on the floor seems to wear. It drives him crazy.

"Hello April, Jackson, I hear we're having a baby today?"

"That's the plan," April says with a smile, rolling onto her back and propping herself up in a sitting position with some difficulty.

"Alright, let's take a look and see how things are progressing."

April puts her feet in the stirrups, and for the first time all day Jackson thinks he sees a flash of anxiety on her features as she rubs her thumb along his knuckles.

"So your contractions are still three minutes apart?"

"Yes," April manages just as another one hits. Her eyes brim with tears and Jackson moves to sit on the edge of the bed, letting her head fall against his chest as Dr. Marshall suddenly looks very serious.

"And are you feeling a lot of pressure with your contractions?"

She can't speak, but she nods, and Dr. Marshall seems unsurprised. She waits for the contraction to pass, and it's just long enough for Jackson to start imagining worst case scenarios. But he's not expecting the words that actually come out of her mouth,

"Okay April, you're almost fully dilated so what I want to do now is get you into the delivery room. Once we're in there I'll rupture the amniotic sac and then you should be ready to push. "

If he looks shocked it's nothing compared to the confused and terrified look on April's face, and he wraps an arm around her shoulders, letting her brace her body against his chest.

"That's impossible," she chokes out, "I haven't even been in active labor that long, check again."

"April I can feel your baby's head trying to crown, I'm honestly surprised you're not in more pain right now, but the fact of that matter is that some women's labor just progresses faster than others. Now I need to get you to the delivery room, do you understand?"

"No," her voice is shaking as she squeezes the life out of his hand, "No we have to wait for my mom. Her flight should have landed ten minutes ago, can't we just wait for her?"

"I'm sorry, but they've been diverting flights all morning due to the storm that's expected. I doubt your mother's flight landed in Seattle."

And finally the calm before the metaphorical storm ends. In an instant April begins to hyperventilate, letting go of his hand to wrap both arms around her stomach. Her feet drop out of the stirrups as she pulls her knees together and shakes her head with determination.

He feels like he's been punched in the gut, slapped across the face, and kicked in the balls simultaneously. Dr. Marshall is trying to reason with April in a low, soothing voice, but she's completely shut herself down to hearing it. And he realizes in that moment that he needs to put his own shit aside, because it's not about him. It's not about how afraid he is to be a father, or how unprepared he feels, it's about supporting and taking care of the beautiful woman who has gone through ten months of unpleasant pregnancy symptoms to bring their child into the world.

"Hey," he says softly, trying to find his voice, "Hey."

His hand moves instinctively to tuck her hair out of her face, and the familiar gesture actually calms her for a second as she turns to him with tearful eyes.

"Jackson I can't do this," she whimpers, "I can't do this. I tried to stay calm all morning because I thought if I acted calm I would feel calm, but I am _not _calm right now."

Suddenly it all makes sense, how she had appeared so calm that morning. Every time she had reassured him she was really trying to reassure herself. And now it's his turn to do it for her. He starts with a gentle kiss pressed to her lips.

"It's okay," he says when he pulls away, "I've got you. I know you wanted your mom here, but we can do it, me and you, okay?"

Her eyes search his and he smiles earnestly at her, earning a small smile in return through her tears.

"Okay."

* * *

Their daughter comes into the world less than an hour later in the instant between a flash of lightning and the thunder that follows. Her first shriek rings louder than the grumbling of the sky, and for the first time all day Jackson is able to relax. They may not have gotten the calm, but she is their perfect storm, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it make sure to leave a review and let me know :)**


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